READING FOR MAY 26, 2025: 2 SAMUEL 12, MARK 8, PSALM 46:1-7 2 SAMUEL 12 The prophet Nathan gives us a wonderful model for approaching someone in leadership over us who needs to be confronted. Nathan had already established a positive relationship with David: “Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you” (2 Sam. 7:3). As an acknowledged prophet and encourager, Nathan had established himself as one who spoke for the Lord and for David’s own good. By “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), through the use of a parable about a poor man and his pet lamb, Nathan enabled David to see his own sin without first becoming defensive in response to a direct accusation. David’s initial indignation toward the heartless rich man in the story shows our tendency to judge others harshly while being guilty of the same sin: “You foolish person, everyone of you who passes judgment; for in that matter in which you judge someone else, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” (Rom 2:1). How easy it is to see the faults of others, but not ours.
After Nathan identified David as the guilty man in the parable, he was able to express all that God had done for him in the past and would have done for him in the future. Now Nathan prepared David for the upcoming discipline David will face for “despising God”: continual warfare, public adultery involving David “wives,” and the death of Bathsheba’s child. David bluntly admits he had sinned before God. He elaborates on the implications of this in Psalm 51. After totally confessing his sin, he still seeks to move forward in his relationship to God: “Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach wrongdoers Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You” (vs. 10-13). When our sin, no matter how great, keeps us from seeking God, Satan wins.
David’s reaction to the death of his son born to Bathsheba is often cited as biblical support for the concept of young children who die before reaching a certain level of understanding going to heaven: “Can I bring him back again? I am going to him, but he will not return to me” (vs. 23). Notice that God’s designation of Solomon as “beloved” confirms that David was correct not to divorce Bathsheba, even though he was wrong in how he acquired her. Notice also how Joab was a bit edgy in telling David to get off his behind and start leading the troops in battle (vs 28). Joab was right, but his tone might speak to the loss of stature David has now experienced.
READING FOR MAY 26, 2025 CONTINUED: MARK 8, PSALM 46:1-7 MARK 8 Those of us in education know there is need to repeat material to help students really retain it. In Mark 6 Jesus fed 5,000 and now He feeds 4,000 using much the same method. We see from the disciples’ behavior they clearly needed more reinforcement of their prior faith lesson. Also, note that in Mark 6:34, Jesus felt compassion for the crowds as He does again in Mark 8:2. There is no such thing as compassion fatigue with the Lord, nor should there be with us. Directly after this, the Pharisees demanded a sign from heaven. Jesus did express frustration with them. Jesus had just finished feeding thousands of folks with about as much food as a McDonald’s Fillet-O-Fish sandwich and they needed to see a sign! Let’s be certain we don’t likewise miss all the evidence God has provided for us of His existence and character.
Jesus respects the intelligence of His disciples, as He does ours. When He told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, He expected them to 1) understand that that they had just witnessed His feeding thousands, so He was not worried about lacking food; and 2) realize He had just heard the crazy demands of the Pharisees, so His mention about their leaven referred figuratively to their attitude that could spread dangerously to others. Let’s not set aside our critical thinking skills and awareness of literary techniques when studying His word.
The healing of the blind man at Bethsaida is perhaps the only two-stage healing performed by Jesus. He is sovereign and thus can heal in any manner He chooses; let’s not box Him in. Like many of the other healings, though, it is an instance when friends brought him to Jesus. Wehave this opportunity available at church through intercessory prayer. Many are ill now! Notice when Jesus revealed He was the Christ or Messiah and explained His upcoming death and resurrection, Peter denied that Jesus would need to experience this. This continues to be a stumbling block for many, even those who claim to be Christians. Jesus said the cross is not what man chooses but it’s God’s way. In fact, Jesus says to reject this truth is to follow Satan. We are also called to reject man’s way by putting to death our own self-centered desires.
PSALM 46:1-7 This Psalm was the inspiration to Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” the musical theme of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Unlike some Psalms, it begins with a statement of God’s power and support, not the Psalmist’s personal needs. If God is our refuge, then nothing on earth can cause us to fear. The key is to focus on His attributes before life’s earthquakes and storms hit us. Verse 4 mentions a river in connection with the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. Jerusalem, however, has no river. What might this mean? Consider this river, city, and dwelling place: “He showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev. 22:1). CONTEMPLATE HEAVEN!
